Is PC and Christianity Linked?

Stitch

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Stitch
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OK - hope I have this in the right place!

This post stems form a discussion I am having on another board about Political Correctness in the UK and Christianity.

I suspect, that many of the PC drum bangers in the UK are Christians (not just because 7 in 10 whites are xian), I may be wrong, but that's kind of what this is about.

So I wanted to find out, if the UK atheists / non-Christians on here thought that things were too PC in the UK. Not very scientific I know, but it may be an interesting indicator.

Non UK residents feel free to comment, but please can I ask you not to vote?

Thanks.
 
I'd suspect most of them are, simply because it's the predominate religion.

Easiest way to determine it without a truly scientifically accurate poll would be to poll people who are both Christian, non-Christian (but religious), and non-religious, and look at the statistical average for each.

In the US...well just based on where I live (Southern CA) and the people I know and talk to (many of whom are scattered around the US), I think most of them regardless of their beliefs, would state that the US is too politically correct.

And then in the same breath would agree that it should be in certain respects. Most of the PC-complaints I've seen have been in regard to humor. More specifically that one should be able to engage in certain topics of humor, but espousing those beliefs would be abhorrant to them.

Even more specifically, many feel that racist terms in humor should be "okay", but those same terms shouldn't be used as a slur.

Or at least that's some of the arguments I've seen. I personally don't agree, as I don't like it period. Those that wouldn't agree on racist humor might complain about sexist humor being seen as non-PC. There I would agree. It doesn't bother me to hear sexual or sexist humor (in most regards, as long as it is non-violent, non-victimatic) but if someone espoused those beliefs it would be silly.

I like blonde jokes, but I don't believe blondes are stupid. ;)

None of which really applies to your question, since you're specifically looking at the UK. And I have no idea what it's like there in regards to this issue.
 
Marian said:
I'd suspect most of them are, simply because it's the predominate religion.

Easiest way to determine it without a truly scientifically accurate poll would be to poll people who are both Christian, non-Christian (but religious), and non-religious, and look at the statistical average for each.

In the US...well just based on where I live (Southern CA) and the people I know and talk to (many of whom are scattered around the US), I think most of them regardless of their beliefs, would state that the US is too politically correct.

And then in the same breath would agree that it should be in certain respects. Most of the PC-complaints I've seen have been in regard to humor. More specifically that one should be able to engage in certain topics of humor, but espousing those beliefs would be abhorrant to them.

Even more specifically, many feel that racist terms in humor should be "okay", but those same terms shouldn't be used as a slur.

Or at least that's some of the arguments I've seen. I personally don't agree, as I don't like it period. Those that wouldn't agree on racist humor might complain about sexist humor being seen as non-PC. There I would agree. It doesn't bother me to hear sexual or sexist humor (in most regards, as long as it is non-violent, non-victimatic) but if someone espoused those beliefs it would be silly.

I like blonde jokes, but I don't believe blondes are stupid. ;)

None of which really applies to your question, since you're specifically looking at the UK. And I have no idea what it's like there in regards to this issue.
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Thanks for the comments. Indeed in the UK 7 in 10 are white christians, which would suggest they should make up the majority of the PC groups. I was just suspecting in those groups it may be closer to 9 or 10 out of 10.

As I say, I didn't intend to be scientific, just to stick my toe in the water. It would be interesting to see how many people think the UK (or US come to that) are too PC regardless of religious persuasion, I suspect the result would suggest that the PC crowd are not acting in line with the majority viewpoint.
 
Stitch said:
Thanks for the comments. Indeed in the UK 7 in 10 are white christians, which would suggest they should make up the majority of the PC groups. I was just suspecting in those groups it may be closer to 9 or 10 out of 10.

As I say, I didn't intend to be scientific, just to stick my toe in the water. It would be interesting to see how many people think the UK (or US come to that) are too PC regardless of religious persuasion, I suspect the result would suggest that the PC crowd are not acting in line with the majority viewpoint.
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As a UK subject, I would like to know where you get the idea that 70% of UK residents are white xians. If pushed to define their religion most people may say um C of E I suppose, but it really doesn’t influence day to day life or politics that much, I men the BBC (a state funded broadcasters) could show Jerry Springer the Opera with no major repercussions. I doubt that even the bravest of US cable TV stations would dare to screen this.


In the UK the term "Political Correctness", is largely used as a straw man argument by the right to try and discredit any even slightly egalitarian policies of the "left" (that is anyone even slightly mope leftwing than themselves), as most vocal Christians in the UK tend to be right of center (even the liberal Church of England is considered "the Tory party at prayer") I would suspect that most "politically correct" people in the UK are not Christian.
 
Oh and to answer your main question, as a UK atheist, I think that the only bit of "political correctness" which has gone too far is the recent incitement of religious hatred legislation which will serious limit freedom of speech in the UK. Most other examples of PC you care to mention are not what their opponents make out.
 
Stitch said:
My source is the Office of National Statistics from the results of the last census: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/nugget.asp?ID=460&Pos=1&ColRank=1&Rank=326
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Fair enough, although as Jekyll's article points out, I don’t this the fact that 70% of UK residents ticking the Christian box on the census actually means that Christian values influence political viewpoints much for eth fast majority of people, what with less than 5% of the population attending church regularly.
 
brodski said:
Fair enough, although as Jekyll's article points out, I don’t this the fact that 70% of UK residents ticking the Christian box on the census actually means that Christian values influence political viewpoints much for eth fast majority of people, what with less than 5% of the population attending church regularly.
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You may be right, but the honest answer is we don't know and we still won't know after this poll has been around for a while either as it is unlikely the numbers participating will make it statistically significant anway. It was just intended as a light hearted enquiry to see what people thought, and I could be reasonably sure I would get a reasonable supply atheists on here.
 
An interesting point but not really relevant to my enquiry TBH.
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If 1 in 10 P.C. activists are church going xtians then that's a hit, so you dont have to beat 7 out of 10.
 
Stitch said:
You may be right, but the honest answer is we don't know and we still won't know after this poll has been around for a while either as it is unlikely the numbers participating will make it statistically significant anway. It was just intended as a light hearted enquiry to see what people thought, and I could be reasonably sure I would get a reasonable supply atheists on here.
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Would you actually care to define what you believe PC actually is, I here the term banded about a lot these days, but often used by the right wing to criticize anything they don’t like. The human rights act for instance, is that a load of PC nonsense, how about the equal pay act? Or is your definition of PC just related to eth urban myths of not asking for "Black" or "White" coffee?
 
Is any of this likely to have anything to do with christianity or will it just be a result of the higher no's of ethnic minorities and the average age/social group of a christian?
 
brodski said:
Would you actually care to define what you believe PC actually is, I here the term banded about a lot these days, but often used by the right wing to criticize anything they don’t like. The human rights act for instance, is that a load of PC nonsense, how about the equal pay act? Or is your definition of PC just related to eth urban myths of not asking for "Black" or "White" coffee?
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I'm not sure it is "black and white". From my perspective we seem to be getting in to a "ban it" culture if a minority objects to something. It is often something that they can choose to avoid. There seems to be a fear of speaking your mind in case you offend somebody.

The actual case that sparked the conversation off was the removal of a cross from a chapel that is occasionally used for funerals by other faiths. A small temporary cross has been put up instead, that can easily be removed if a service for another faith is being held. The issue was that nobody from another faith had actually complained about it, but "somebody" felt that they may be offended and so had the cross changed.

It's that kind of absurd situation that I am talking about, people taking action when nobody has asked for, nor wants action to be taken.
 
Jekyll said:
Is any of this likely to have anything to do with christianity or will it just be a result of the higher no's of ethnic minorities and the average age/social group of a christian?
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As I said - it wasn't intended as a scientifc study, just a good source of atheists for the most part.
 
brodski said:


In the UK the term "Political Correctness", is largely used as a straw man argument by the right to try and discredit any even slightly egalitarian policies of the "left" (that is anyone even slightly mope leftwing than themselves), as most vocal Christians in the UK tend to be right of center (even the liberal Church of England is considered "the Tory party at prayer") I would suspect that most "politically correct" people in the UK are not Christian.
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That was my concern as well -- that the term "politically correct" is not well-defined and usually adds more heat than light. In common usage, it seems to be defined as "someone who asks for tolerance and respect for positions that I don't hold or believe in."

In particular, the speaker never holds herself as PC.

So, for example, as a dyed-in-the-wool scientist, evolutionist, and anti-Creationist, I might consider ID proponents and such to be pushing "political correctness" when they demand equal time for their lunatic non-theories. On the other hand, I also consider that legislation against racism and homophobia is not political correctness, but simply good public policy and common sense.

My Jesus-freak sister would (and does) disagree with me on both counts.

If, as I expect, you are not a Christian yourself, you are likely to find more PC's among the Christians, simply because they are the people with whom you disagree.
 
Stitch said:
I'm not sure it is "black and white". From my perspective we seem to be getting in to a "ban it" culture if a minority objects to something. It is often something that they can choose to avoid. There seems to be a fear of speaking your mind in case you offend somebody.

The actual case that sparked the conversation off was the removal of a cross from a chapel that is occasionally used for funerals by other faiths. A small temporary cross has been put up instead, that can easily be removed if a service for another faith is being held. The issue was that nobody from another faith had actually complained about it, but "somebody" felt that they may be offended and so had the cross changed.

It's that kind of absurd situation that I am talking about, people taking action when nobody has asked for, nor wants action to be taken.
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Ah, the rise of the mass-man.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0715630008/102-2612214-7192957?v=search-inside&keywords="mass-man"
It is hard to blaim that specific case of mediocre petty thinking on christians but I see where you're coming from.
 
Jekyll said:
Ah, the rise of the mass-man.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/reader/0715630008/102-2612214-7192957?v=search-inside&keywords="mass-man"
It is hard to blaim that specific case of mediocre petty thinking on christians but I see where you're coming from.
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I have no idea what the religious beliefs of the council member(s) that took the action are.

It just seems that there are a group of people who say "we can't do that because it would offend X" without first asking X if it is actually an issue. The question arose whether these people would more likely be Christian than atheist.

As i say, not scientific and I don't have desperately strong feelings either way but just thought I'd post a little poll on a predominately atheist board to test the water so to speak.
 
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